Team Nigeria Armwrestlers emerged second on the medals table at the just concluded 9th Africa Armwrestling Championships in Accra, Ghana.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that they clinched six gold, six silver and six bronze behind Ghana the host country which came first.
Ghana came first with 31 gold, 32 silver and 25 bronze while Mali came third.
The competition which started on July 25 ended on Saturday at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Olatunji Jackson, president, Nigeria Armwrestling Federation told NAN on telephone from Accra on Sunday that the federation was impressed with the team’s performance.
Jackson said that the competition was keenly competed one by the African nation and every participant was poised to win.
He said: “I must commend our athletes, they did very well I must say but, of course, there is still room for improvement.
“The Nigerian team this time around did a lot better especially as the African Championship was staged outside Nigeria.
“The team’s head coach, Femi Akinsanya concentrated so much on athletes fitness and it paid off here in Accra especially against tough opponents from Ghana and Mali.
“We never knew we were going to beat Mali to the second position; the Nigerian athletes gave their all and went to the table to win.
“Our gold medalist in the women’s 70kg class, Victoria Johnson, missed the first day of event where the left hand challenge was held and some athletes who were present won medals.
“She came in on the final day of the competition and just two hours into the competition, she emerged a gold medalist.
“It will interest you that, it was her gold medal that made the difference and move us to second position in the continental championship that had all the best athletes from Africa.
“Johnson won all her fights. It was wild jubilation here for team Nigeria.”
Jackson added that with the results in Ghana, the federation has resolved to start preparations for the next edition of the championship in Bamako, Mali.
He said: “We know we have to up our game and one of the plans to emerge victorious in Mali is the training challenge competition partnership we just signed with the Cameroon Armwrestling Federation here in Ghana.
“The partnership will see Nigeria travel to Cameroon for training and mini tournament, and vice visa.
“In all these, our main concern is funding, the board members have been spending personal funds, which of course is not enough.
“This is why we want to use this medium to solicit for sponsorship from corporate Nigeria and philanthropic individuals to rescue us from our financial quagmire.”